Welcome back Tocchet-you have the worst team in the league so I expect the Pens to play to their level tonight.

Looks like the lines are jumbled again.

Penguins projected lineup

Conor Sheary -- Sidney Crosby -- Patric Hornqvist

Jake Guentzel -- Evgeni Malkin -- Phil Kessel

Carl Hagelin -- Riley Sheahan -- Bryan Rust

Tom Kuhnhackl -- Greg McKegg -- Ryan Reaves

Olli Maatta -- Kris Letang

Ian Cole -- Justin Shultz

Brian Dumoulin -- Chad Ruhwedel

Matt Murray

Tristan Jarry

Scratched: Josh Archibald, Zach Trotman, Frank Corrado

Injured: Matt Hunwick (concussion), Carter Rowney (hand)

Can't complain too much about the lines- Sully is loading up the top 6. Although I wish Kuhn would go away altogether

We'll see if Letang's brain functions tonight. Good news is that Schultz and Hunwick are close to returning

Coyotes are the cure for all that ails your hockey team.

Schultz, Malkin
2-0

Coyotes played last night-sure is nice to have it the other way around.

Great pressure by the pens there halfway through the second.

Is there something wrong with Guentzel? He looks nothing like he did last spring.

PP finally comes through.

Fine stick work by Kessel there on the third goal a half foot from the goal line.

Think it's your typical "sophomore slump". He shot at something like 18% last year, which is obviously unsustainable. Think he's got big confidence issues...believing that nearly every shot like last year was gonna go in.

But he looks good with Malkin and Kessel...set up and was involved with chances, so I don't think there's much worry about.

Schultz playing and eating some of Letang's minutes was a big deal. Still have no idea why Kuhn exists and Archi rots

I'll agree on Schultz, for sure. The breakout has been a key component of the offense's inability to score the puck. This simultaneously helps that and, like Donnie said, allows them to hopefully put Tanger in spots where he's more comfortable, and limit his minutes.

Totally agree. Hunwick Schultz Tanger and Maatta will be a solid defensive core; just keep these guys healthy.

Did anyone else noticed that on the 3rd and 4th PP that Sully gave the Schultz the spot with the top PP unit? Letang had that spot the first two PP's. Was that his way of trying something different or was he sending a message?
I thought the first PP was solid but the next three were terrible.

Another good thing-Crosby is third on the team in scoring. Once he gets that part of his game back it will only serve the team better.

Interesting PP observation, Frac. I'd like to think the PP is also fluid at this point in the season, and that Sully is just looking for combinations and buttons to push, and that it's a little early to be "sending messages."

Agree about Sid. He'll go on his tear. The closer to the playoff push it happens, the better. Hot Dog and Geno holding the fort works for now. Guentzel, based on what I'm seeing, will be fine, too. He's doing the little things right. The points will come.

The PP for the lone D man last night felt like an audition. Everyone is talking about Letang and there is little good being said. I still have trust in him and he deserves to work this out over a long haul.
I think they have their PP set at four positions with the lone one coming down to either Schultz or Letang. Not a bad situation to be in.
Good thing is that the PP is killer on the road.

That, and the overall play at home is enough to keep them in good striking distance until some of the ES and positional kinks work out, particularly if Jarry can provide quality backup goaltending. With the sheer number of back to backs, it's going to be a more important position this season than previous, and with no Flower, it's also the least proven.

Sadly I think the Letang PP thing is about perception/politics. "Why isn't highest paid #1Dman on the PP?"

"Because he sucks at it" aren't gonna go over well. Letang to me overthinks because there is too much time/space on the PP. Look at the one goal he scored while on the man advantage...he did it because he shot it right away.

Once Letang starts thinking, things go badly. When he just plays and uses his instincts he's fantastic

Schultz is such a natural PP guy...hard to coach that. Gonchar had it...Lidstrom had it...Fetisov had it...

I don't think it is just politics. Letang is a great offensive defensemen, but a bad PP defensemen. That might seem counter intuitive, but Letang is great playing like a forward and jumping into the rush. The PP is more a half-court offense if you will. Schultz has a much better one-timer from the point and is more decisive.